Jean had heard we were going to Letham and decided she would like to come too. She telephoned her friend Jill who also wanted to come along. It was agreed we would take two cars. By the time we had finished our cups of tea, Mahri and Jan, who were both working in the shop had taken off their aprons and decided to come along as well. I'm not sure how short-staffed that left the shop but no one seemed particularly concerned. Just as Jean was loading her passengers into her car, she spotted 86-year old Janet and invited her along too. Janet ducked inside her cottage to collect her cardie - and we were off! All eight of us!
Letham turned out to be an hour's drive away and by the time we arrived at the craft shop, it was time for eight bowls of soup and oakcakes at the cafe before the strenuous work of buying craft supplies could begin.
The shop was an extraordinary warren of small display areas where everything was set out in a shambolic way but packed on the shelves, walls and ceiling was everything you could ever possibly need to create any craft idea - jigsaw puzzles, embroidery, school projects, homemade Christmas and birthday cards, beads, wool, ribbons, card, paints, lace, patterns. It was a visual assault and a miracle if you could find what you sought. Fortunately the assistants knew where to find the most obscure requests. "Glass eyes? Certainly ma'am!"
1. Jeanette was seeking materials for the rag doll she is entering into the rag doll competition. I came across a birthday card illustrated with fly fishing baits - I thought she might like it for Gordon. She did.
2. Diane found black beads to decorate her shoes.
3. Jean tracked down a tractor design to make a birthday card for Janet's son, who one assumes is either a tractor driver or has some affinity with tractors.
4. Janet was after cards and ribbons.
5. Jan and Mahri bought provisions for the village shop - thus making this an official 'buying trip' I suppose, and excusing them for playing hooky.
6. Jill filled her basket with an odd collection of card, beads and cottons which would somehow miraculously become crafty gifts.
7. I found fair isle wool to make leg warmers but no red wool. I also found a egg made of bone to add to my egg collection.
This is part of the thread section:
Due to the chaotic nature of the shop it took some while to round up the eight ladies at the end of the expedition but finally we were on the road again having decided to make a detour via Peel's Farm for afternoon tea. Jan was prescient enough to telephone ahead to check if the cafe would still be open when we arrived at 3.45pm. She pointed out that there were eight of us, so we were assured by the owner that we would be accommodated.
We settled at a large table in front of a roaring log fire. The tray bake was malteser cake. We each ordered a slice. Whoever cut the portions obviously learned their trade in America - the pieces were enormous slabs of inch thick milk chocolate, jam-packed with maltesers. Hyped with sugar we bounced out of the cafe in time to investigate the Peel Farm shop where we found - hooray! - Italian red wool.
Tired, emotional, and weighed down with packages we got back to the village long after dark and waddled our way home to get out our knitting needles, glue and sewing patterns so that in a few weeks' time, another day trip to Letham can be justified.
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